THE PLACE OF INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATIONS IN POLITICAL THEORY
THE PLACE OF INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATIONS IN POLITICAL THEORY

Summary/Abstract: Today the realm of intelligence gathering is perceived as involved in bulk or mass surveillance, threatening both privacy and democracy. As political regimes in the West are changing towards more authoritarian or totalitarian control of the acts and thoughts of their citizens this raises the question whether intelligence organizations should serve democracy or the political system. The author traces some of the technological, political and societal developments that have caused this altered state, in which there seems to be little room left for resistance. In spite of this there is some counterveiling power in the form of sousveillance. However, just like other other possible constraints, such as oversight committees and to a lesser degree the judiciary, sousveillants do not seem the safaguarding of the rights of citizens. The author concludes that in this respect a big role is to be played by independent academics

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